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REGULAR BRIGADE 



TDK I'oriiTEE^rH AUMF CORP.S 



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i'iilSTERER. 




Class, /^ ^7^ 
Book >■ 77 




THE 



REGULAR BRIGADE 

OF 

THE FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, 
THE ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND, 

!N THE BATTLE OF 

STONE RIVER, OR MURFREESBORO', TENNESSEE, 

From December 31ST, 1862, to January 30, 1863, ' 

BOTH DATES INCLUSIVE. 



FREDERICK PHISTERER, 

Late Adjutant 3d Battalion iSth U. S. Infantry. 



1474- 






®o Ills OTomrabcs, 

THE SURVIVORS OF THE REGULAR BRIGADE, 

Army of the Cr.MnERi.AND, 

IN REMEMBRANCE OF PAST DAYS, 

AND TO PLACE ON RECORD A TRUE ACCOUNT 

OF THE 

rARTICIPATION OF THE BRIGADE 

IN THE 

BATTLE OF STONE RIVER. 



July ist, 18S3. 



WHEN General Rosecrans took command 
of the Army of the Ohio there were in 
that army five battahons of regular infantry in two 
different divisions ; when he reorganized this 
army he determined to bring these battalions 
together, to give them a regular battery, and form 
of them a Regular Brigade. The 15th, i6th and 
19th were already at Nashville ; the orders organ- 
izing the brio-ade found the two battalions of the 
1 8th near Gallatin, Tenn., as a part of General 
Stedman's Brigade. On receipt of the orders, the 
1 8th marched, on the 23d of December, 1862, 
from Pilot Knob to Nashville, Tenn., arriving 
there on the 25th day of December, 1S62, and, 
joining the other battalions and the battery, it 
completed the formation of the brigade, which, as 
then organized, consisted of: 
The ist Battalion of the 15th Infantry: Com- 
panies A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H ; command- 
ed by Major John H. King. 
The ist Battalion of the i6th Infantry: Com- 
panies A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, ist Battal- 
ion, and Company B, 2d Battalion ; Major A. 
J. Slemmer commanding. 
The 1st Battalion of the i8th Infantry : Com- 
panies A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, of the ist, 
and A and D, of the 3d Battalion ; Major J. N. 
Caldwell in command. 



TJic Regular Brio'cide. 



^ 



The 2d Battalion of the iSth Infantry: Com- 
panies A, B, C, D, E and F, of the 2d, and B, 
C, E and F, of the 3d Battahon ; commanded 
b)' Major Frederick Townsend. 
The I St Battahon of the 19th Infantry: Com- 
panies A, B, C, D, E and F ; Major S. D. Car- 
penter commanding. 
Battery H, 5th U. S. Artillery, commanded by 
ist Lieutenant F. L. Guenther. 
Lieutenant-Colonel O. L. Shepherd, i8th U. S. 
Infantry, the senior officer, was placed in com- 
mand of the brigade. 

W'hen the Army of the Ohio — ^then become the 
Army of the Cumberland, or the 14th Corps^ — ad- 
vanced from Nashville, Tenn., toward its objec- 
tive point, the enemy, the Regular Brigade broke 
camp on the 26th, encamping on the evening of 
that day on the Petersburg Turnpike ; on the 
27th it encamped near Nolansville, Tenn.; on the 
28th, at night, it marched across the country to 
Stewart's Creek, and on the 30th to a point on the 
Murfreesboro' and Nashville Turnpike about four 
miles from Murfreesboro', Tenn. 

On the morning of the 31st of December the 
brigade left its bivouac at an earU' hour and ad- 
vanced on the Nashville Turnpike to a point a 
little less than three miles northwest of Murfrees- 
boro', and, witli its division, was posted in reserve. 
The division consisted of Scribner's, John Beatty's, 
Starkweather's and the Regular P^-igade, and was 



The Rcgtdar Brigade. 3 

commanded by Major-General Lovcll H. Rous- 
seau. Starkweather's Brigade had been left at 
Jefferson's Crossing- on Stone River. The divis- 
ion was part of the centre, commanded by Major- 
General George H. Thomas. The formation in 
the brio^ade was from rioht to left as follows : 
15th, 1 6th, 1 8th, I St and 2d Battalions, and the 
19th. 

To fully understand the events now following, 
it will be necessary to preface them with a short 
resume of the opening and progress of the battle 
from 6.30 A, M. until noon ; from the right of the 
army to the left of Palmer's Division of the left 
wing. 

The left of Palmer's Division, Hazen's Brigade, 
rested on the Nashville Turnpike, about two and 
a half miles northwest of Murfreesboro', facinof 
south bv east — the other bricrades of this division 
faced almost east ; Negley's Division, of the cen- 
tre, next in order, faced south by east ; Sheri- 
dan's, of the right Aving, faced almost east ; 
Davis' faced south by east, and Johnson's, the 
right of the army, east and south, and a portion 
of it on the right flank west by south. A line 
drawn from the extreme right due north would 
have crossed the Nashville Turnpike near Gen- 
eral Rosecrans' headquarters, about one mile 
northwest of Hazen. 

All the divisions, excepting Palmer's and the 
left of^Negley's, had to cross a dense cedar forest 



The Reoular Briecide. 



^> 



about three-quarters of a mile deep before they 
could reach the Nashville Turnpike to their left 
and rear. 

The extreme right of Johnson's Division was 
attacked about 6.30 a. m., and the engagement 
extended gradually toward our left, the attacking 
columns of the enemy moving in echelon from 
their left to their right ; the attack struck John- 
son's flank, and, although portions of the division 
made a Qrallant stand, the weio^ht of the attack 
was too much for the division, Johnson having 
been flanked and driven back, it became Davis' 
turn to be taken in rear and right flank, and 
forced back after considerable resistance. The 
next division, Sheridan's, was forewarned, and 
offered a most determined resistance, falling back 
and chanofinsf front to the west as its flank and 
rear became vulnerable ; ammunition falling 
short, the rebel force on his flank increasing, 
Sheridan commenced his retreat about 9.30 a. m., 
falling back slowly and fighting. Negley neces- 
sarily had now to refuse his riglit, change front to 
the west and northwest, and, running out of am- 
munition about II A. M., commence his retreat 
out of the cedars. This exposed the right of 
Palmer's Division, compelling him, after a sharp 
fiorht, to chanofe front to the west and fall back on 
the railroad, pivoting his division on the left of 
Hazen's Bricrade, until it was at ricrht ano^les with 
its former position ; this took place about noon. 



The Regular Brigade. 5 

The general front of the Hne, which in the 
morning was south by east, was now west by- 
south ; the new hne formed about noon ran 
along the railroad and turnpike, and in front of it 
were open fields from Hazen's left to a point 
about one-eighth of a mile southeast of General 
Rosecrans' headquarters^ from which point the 
now re-organized right wing was posted in the 
forest in a semicircle facing south and west, with 
the right, refused, facing north by west and rest- 
ing near the turnpike. Between the right wing 
and Palmer's Division there were Van Cleeve's 
Division of the left wing, the Pioneer Brigade, 
Negley's and Rousseau's Divisions. 

During the remainder of the day these posi- 
tions were not materially changed, except that 
Van Cleeve's and Negley's Divisions were later 
withdrawn and placed in reserve. 

To return to the Regular Brigade : About 9 
o'clock A. M. it became apparent that the tide of 
battle was most decidedly against the right wing 
of the army, and Rousseau's Division was ordered 
to the support of General McCook. The Regular 
Brigade with its battery moved by the right flank 
into the dense wood of cedars, alluded to above ; 
when near Sheridan the head of the brigade 
changed direction to the right, and line of battle 
was formed in the cedars facing west. Mean- 
while it had become evident that on this ground 
no use could be made of the battery, and that no 



The Rccular Bricadc. 



v> 



good position could be obtained for the infantry ; 
the advance was therefore discontinued and the 
battery with the brigade ordered by General 
Rousseau to the open field between the cedars 
and the turnpike, near where it started from. 

Guenthcr's Battery first took position on a slight 
rise outside of the woods, but moved shortly to a 
knoll between the turnpike and railroad, shelling 
the woods in the direction of the advance of the 
enemy. The two right, battalions, the 15th and 
1 6th, not receiving the orders to halt, continued 
their advance, deployed skirmishers, and soon 
became engaged with a rebel force sweeping 
down in the rear of Sheridan. This force ap- 
peared to be clothed in the Union Blue, and 
for a time there was an uncertainty as to its char- 
acter ; the skirmishers being soon driven in, the 
status of these troops was quickly developed and 
the battalions had a hot and fierce fight for a short 
time, in which they were assisted by the 6th Ohio 
Volunteer Regiment on their right. Majors 
King and Slemmer having finally received in- 
formation of the movement of the brigade, pre- 
pared to rejoin it, falling back through the woods, 
and halting twice to repulse the enemy. Other 
forces coming to the support of the right, and 
Sheridan havincr chanofed front and refused his 
right, enabled these battalions to rejoin the 
brigade. Among the killed in this affair was 
Captain Bell, of the 15th. The other battalions, 



The Rcoitlar Brigade 



^i 



though under fire, did not come into action, but 
covered the movements, and followed in support 
of their battery, all taking-, finally, position on a 
rise or knoll near the turnpike. At this point 
the 19th was shifted from the left to the right 
wing between the 15th and 1 6th, thereby equal- 
izing the strength of the two wings more nearly. 
While in this position, the line facing southwest, 
the brigade, the battalions of the i8th, and the 
battery especially, were exposed to an enfilading 
artillery fire, and Captain Denison, of the 2d 
Battalion, was mortally wounded, and Sergeant 
White, of Co. F. 3d Battalion, iSth infantry, was 
killed by a solid shot. The brigade was not long 
in position when Sheridan's troops began to come 
out of the woods, followed shortly after by the 
enemy, whose further advance was resisted by it. 
At a point where a short thicket about half way 
between the battery and the woods and nearly 
opposite the battery and right of the brigade 
covered to some extent its approach, Wither's 
Division formed and made a desperate charge on 
Guenther's Battery. The enemy advanced boldly 
and bravely ; Guenther turned his admirably 
served guns on him, and with the fire of his sup- 
ports broke the column, which made four gallant 
efforts to continue the charge, but melted away 
under the dreadful fire ; their battle flag went 
down three times in succession. Portions of 
Scribner's Brigade flanked the enemy's left, and. 



8 TJic Regular Brigade. 

upon the repulse of his charge on the Regular 
Battery, Scribner's and John Beatty's Brigades, 
Van Cleeve's Division, the Pioneer Brigade and 
other organizations, led by Generals Rosecrans 
and Rousseau in turn, charged upon the enemy, 
drivinof him well back into the cedars. The 
remnants of the right wing having meanwhile 
been reorganized, reformed nearly all on the 
right, advanced and took positions, held by them 
until the close of the battle. The enemy's ad- 
vance on our right and his flanking operations 
had now been successfully resisted, but Negley 
was still in the woods, flanked and almost sur- 
rounded. Extraordinary efforts were then made 
by the enemy to crush the centre and left ; rein- 
forcements were brought from their right and 
thrown upon the left of Negley and against Cruft, 
Grose and Hazen. Negley, out of ammunition, 
was compelled to almost cut his way out ; Grose's 
and Cruft's Briofades of Palmer's Division, on 
Negley's left, necessarily had to follow in his 
wake, in a measure covering his retreat ; Hazen's 
right, on Cruft's left, fell back and changed front 
from southeast to northwest, pivoting on his left. 
To enable these troops to fall back, to afford 
them protection, to gain time to execute the now 
absolutely necessary movements in order to rec- 
tify position^ of troops and to form a new line 
from Ilazen's left toward the right, Rousseau's 
Division was aii'ain ordered into the cedars. Gen- 



TJic Re Q- II la r Bri'oadc. 



^> 



eral Thomas himself gave the orders for the ad- 
vance of the Regular Brigade, saying- to its 
commander : " Shepherd, take your brigade in 
there," pointing southwest toward the cedar for- 
est, " and stop the rebels." The brigade, without 
the battery, for which there was no suitable posi- 
tion in this movement, was at once put in march, 
advancing to the front (south) along the railroad 
and turnpike. After reaching the further side 
(south) of the open ground, it was suddenly di- 
rected to the rio-ht to enter the cedar forest, and 
after a change of direction slightly to the right, it 
was halted alon^r the edo-e of the cedars facino- 
southwest and west. During this movement the 
2d Battalion ©f the 18th executed a change of 
front to the south, by companies on its left com- 
pany, as if at ordinary battalion drill, then marched 
by the right flank into the cedars ; the other bat- 
talions moved up by their flanks and shortest 
routes, preserving proper intervals. This, all ac- 
counts agree, was about noon. The line was then 
advanced about fifty yards, until our retreating 
troops were in sight. The 15th held the right ; 
the 2d Battalion of the i8th the left, which 
rested less than one hundred yards from the south 
end of the woods ; each battalion occupied the 
best position the rocky ground in its front aftorded, 
and the brigade covered a front of "a little over 
one-fourth of a mile. Let us review the situation : 
Negley and Grose were retiring ; Cruft was cov- 



lO 



TJic Rcoular Briocidc. 



v> 



cring Neg-lcy's retreat and following- him ; Hazen's 
right was falling back ; the enemy's force was vic- 
torious and reinforced by three brigades — accord- 
ing to a Murfreesboro' rebel paper and Bragg's 
report — which were fresh and intact and com- 
manded by Jackson, Preston and Adams, and in 
this breach stood the forlorn hope of the army, 
the Regular Brigade. Hazen's right retiring, left 
the left flank of the brigade uncovered, but John 
Beatty's Brigade covered that point and the rear 
in reserve ; on the right of the brigade, Scribner 
came up to cover that flank and to connect with 
troops still further on the right. As soon as the 
front of a battalion was clear of our retiring troops, 
its fire commenced ; this waiting for our men 
to retire, and, meanwhile, receiving the enemy's 
fire without being able to reply, was the most try- 
ing time of all. The firinor commenced at the left 
as soon as Cruft's men — so reported by a staff 
officer — had withdrawn, and soon rose into a con- 
tinuous roar. Capt. Oscar A. Mack, on General 
Thomas' staff, who approached the brigade with 
orders, and was severely wounded, declared the 
din of the fire to have been appalling. The 
first line of the enemy were scattered like chaff; 
their second line brought to a halt and held. The 
report of the men, especial])-, is that there was a 
third line, which coming up, fixed bayonets and 
with the remnants of the other two lines pre- 
pared for a charge. General Negley, with some 



TJlc Rccu/ar Brizadc. 1 1 



<!> 



of his men, united with the 15th, our right, and 
with them resisted the advance of his pursuers. 
Part of Scribner^s Brigade formed on Negley's 
right ; John Beatty covered the left and rear of 
the briofade. Officers and men were falHn"' all 
alonof the line, but not a man turned his back to 
the enemy ; every one stood up to his work and 
strove to be worthy of the hope placed in him, 
and to do credit to the Regular Brigade. Gen- 
eral Thomas' orders had been obeyed ; the 
enemy's onslaught on the centre had been re- 
pulsed, and his victorious troops brought to a 
halt ; the rebels had been stopped, and the key 
of the battlefield secured, but at a loss of nearly 
half of the infantry force of the brigade. The 
new lines along the turnpike and railroad having 
been formed, troops moved into position, artil- 
lery posted to protect and cover the new lines, 
the rio-ht of the brig-ade received orders to fall 
back ; the movement was executed under the 
protection of the battery, but unmolested by the 
enemy, from right to left in perfect order, one 
battalion moving after the other by the right of 
companies through the cedars to the rear. Lieut. 
Ludlow's section of the battery had been detached 
to the front and right to cover the retreat of the 
right of the brigade. It was a bitter disappoint- 
ment to obey orders then, but as the object of the 
advance of the brigade had been achieved, its 
further exposure would have been useless, and 



12 The Regular Brigade. 

could only have resulted in its annihilation ; still, 
this was not understood at the time by the offi- 
cers and men of the brigade. When the heads 
of companies debouched from the woods, they 
were exposed to a tornado of artillery fire from 
rebel batteries to our left. From the position of 
the brio^ade in the cedars to a short distance out- 
side, it was a gentle decline, the ground then 
again commenced to rise as far as the pike and 
railroad ; about one hundred yards from the 
woods, on higher ground, the brigade reformed 
and faced the enemy ; as there was no pursuit, it 
fell back of our new lines and joined again its 
battery in proper supporting position. Here roll 
was called, reports were made, and now the loss 
of the brigade was fully understood. John Beatty's 
and Scribner's Brigades fell back with the left and 
right of the Regular Brigade, and the artillery 
opened on the woods as soon as the brigade was 
out of them. 

When the action opened in the cedars, Major 
Slemmer, of the i6th, was badly wounded, and 
Capt. Crofton took command ; almost immedi- 
ately after giving the command to retire. Major 
Carpenter fell, mortally wounded, struck b)- six 
bullets, and the command of the 19th devolved 
on Capt. Mulligan ; on the retreat between the 
cedars and the railroad, Major King, of the 
15th, was disabled, and Capt. Fulmer assumed 
command ; in the cedars, in the ist Battalion 



The RcgiUar Brigade. 13 

of the 1 8th, Capt. Kneass was killed and Lieut. 
McConnell mortally wounded ; in the 2d Bat- 
talion of the 1 8th, Lieut. Hitchcock was 
killed and Lieut. Simons mortally wounded ; 
in the 15th Capt. Wise was mortally wounded ; 
Major Townsend had his horse shot under him ; 
the Adjutant of the ist Battalion of the iSth had 
his horse wounded ; and the Adjutant of the 2d 
Battalion had his killed under him, When the 
brigade was again in its supporting position, its 
left winof was committed for the remainder of the 
battle to Major Townsend, the right wing, de- 
prived of its field officers, needing more the atten- 
tion of the Brigade Commander. 

This closed the enemy's and our operations for 
that day as far as active participation by the Reg- 
ular Brigade was concerned ; the battery, how- 
ever, continued to play on the enemy's position, 
and when later in the afternoon an attack was 
made to the left of the brigade, it assisted in the 
repulse of the enemy in that quarter. During 
the night parties were organized to collect the 
wounded of the brigade ; the pickets of the ene- 
my and of the brigade were within speaking dis- 
tance, and one of the parties was captured ; 
another party claimed to be an informal flag of 
truce, asking for the privilege to collect our 
wounded, and thus after some parleying was per- 
mitted to return. Durino- the nicrht also our lines 
were straightened out ; positions changed ; the 



14 The Regular Brigade. 

right of the first division of the left wino- posted 
on the left of the turnpike, by \vhich movement 
our front was thrown back about three hundred 
yards ; and the left wing formed on a new line 
toward Stone River; this gave us a shorter line, 
more reserves, and allowed the Regular Brigade, 
at about 4 o'clock a. .m., of the ist of January, 
to fall back to a little piece of woods near Gen- 
eral Rosecrans' headquarters, there to bivouac 
and seek rest. 

Early on the ist of January, 1863, the brigade, 
with its battery, was ordered to the right to sup- 
port McCook's wing, against which demonstra- 
tions were made, and several positions were held 
by it without coming into action. Shortly after 
two o'clock the brigade was ordered to Stewart's 
Creek; having marched about four miles, it re- 
ceived orders to return double quick, and marched 
nearly the whole distance at that gait. Night 
cominof on, the brigfade bivouacked aoain to the 
left of tlie pike, near General Rosecrans' head- 
quarters. 

On the morning of the 2d of January, before 
breakfast, the brigade advanced under heavy ar- 
tillery fire to the support of the left wing, remain- 
ing as its support in different positions during the 
day and night ; the battery, being in action off 
and on during the day, assisted in the enemy's 
repulse by the left wing in the afternoon of the 
day. 



The Regular Bj'igadc. 15 

On the morning- of the 3d, the fourth day of the 
battle, the battery opened fire upon one of the 
enemy, which was annoying our troops, and soon 
silenced and drove it from its position. During 
the forenoon the brigade and battery advanced 
again to its position, the key of the field, held on 
the 31st of December, threw up slight intrench- 
ments and held them for the remainder of the 
battle. The heavy rains during the day filled 
the ditches partly with water and rendered them 
almost untenable, while the surrounding ground 
was fast turning into a bed of mud ; the men, at 
their option, could stand or recline in water or 
mud, but not a word of discontent escaped their 
lips in this trying and painful, as well as arduous 
and dangerous service. About 6 p. m., under 
the cover of the brigade and other batteries, an 
attack was made to the front by parts of John 
Beatty's and Spear's Brigades ; this attack, though 
spreading to the front of the brigade, required on 
its part only increased watchfulness to prevent 
surprise in case of a reverse ; the battery, how- 
ever, was actively engaged in shelling the ene- 
my's position in the woods to our front, south. 

Before daylight of the morning of the fourth, 
the brigade pickets reported the retreat of the 
enemy. The day, Sunday, was spent in the sad 
duty of collecting the dead of the brigade, who 
were interred at night by moonlight and with 
military honors just in front of the intrenchments. 



i6 TJic RcQ-uIar Bricrade 



<b 



Thus ended die batde of Stone River, or Mur- 
freesboro' ; and here it may be proper to relate a 
few of the many incidents occurring in and dur- 
ing- it, showing the spirit which pervaded the of- 
ficers and men of the brigade, ready to laugh 
one moment, the next to suffer, and, if need be, 
to die. 

During the fight at noon of the 31st of Dec, 
the color-bearer of the 2d Battalion of the i8th 
was killed by a shot in the head and fell with and 
on the colors ; the color-guard at once raised the 
flag, when the top became entangled in a low 
cedar ; the Adjutant of the battalion, then still 
mounted, finally called Lieut. Bisbee to the aid 
of the color-guard and the colors were at last free 
again and thrown to the breeze ; it was a moment 
of great anxiety to all near, for it was understood 
that there was to be no losing of the colors. When 
the left reformed after leaving the cedars, Major 
Townsend, when on the rise took the colors and 
rode alone the new line for all to see that and 
where the stand was to be made. Capt. Doug- 
lass, of the 1 8th, described the rebel artillery fire 
in the open field, as if a blacksmith shop full of 
rotten iron was being thrown at the command. 
When the brigade was reformed near its battery, 
there was a large pile of knapsacks back of it, and 
many men rested against it from time to time ; 
pretty soon a rebel battery commenced firing 
solid shot at it, making the knapsacks fly in all 



TJic Rcgtilaj' Brigade. i 7 

directions, but doing no other harm. For a 
while it was a pastime to watcli the solid shot 
coming through the air, and one ball was 
especially noticed, going apparently straight to- 
ward a man crossing the large open field to the 
rear, coming from the hospital probably ; the ball 
seemed to strike in fi"ont of and close to the man, 
ricochetted and passed over the man, who at the 
same time made a profound obeisance ; to all ap- 
pearances the ball would have decapitated him, 
had the man been erect ; a shout of laughter, 
seemingly from all parts of the field, at the ludi- 
crousness of the scene, relieved the anxious feel- 
ing of suspense. But what a closing and begin- 
ning of a year was that ! A large number of 
officers and men, in fact all, were without rations 
on the I St and 2d, and parched corn, horse and 
mule steaks were in demand and appreciated ; the 
double quick back from near Stewart's Creek was 
doubly hard on empty stomachs ; at last, on the 
evening of the 2d, some bacon, flour and coffee 
were received and helped to tide the command 
over the worst ; though the men were hungry, 
they were in the best possible spirits. When on 
the 2d the brigade advanced by the right of com- 
panies double quick to the front, one man, seeing 
a solid shot rolling along very leisurely, put his 
foot out to stop it ; the opposing forces did not 
overcome each other, and, the shot being stronger, 
the man found himself nicely tripped and rolling 



1 8 The Regular Brigade. 

along with the ball, much to his surprise, and, not 
being injured, to the merriment of his comrades. 
The Battalion Quartermasters, with the teamsters, 
servants, cooks and sick, defended their trains 
against the charges of rebel cavalry repeatedly, 
repulsing the enemy every time, and saving and 
preserving their trains. Of the three rebel 
brigades of Jackson, Preston and Adams, General 
Bragg, the commander of their army, says : '' How 
gallantly they moved to their work, and how 
much they suffered in the determined effort 
to accomplish it, w^ill best appear from the reports 
of subordinate commanders, and the statement of 
losses therewith." This shows some of the work 
done by the Regular Brigade, and later by its 
battery repulsing the determined charge of these 
troops on to the left of the line of battle. General 
Thomas, when asked why he sent the brigade 
into the cedars, a regular holocaust, replied that 
it became a necessity to do so. 

The casualties in the brigade were fearful, and 
almost all were suffered at noon of, and all oc- 
curred on, the 31st of December. 



The Rco-itlar Brigade. 



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20 The Rco-ula7' Brio;cidc, 



^> 



In his official report, General Rosecrans gives 
his loss as follows : Killed, 92 officers, 1,441 en- 
listed men; total, 1,523 ; wounded, 384 officers, 
6,861 enlisted men ; total, 7,245. 

Total killed and wounded, 8,778 officers and 
men, or 20.22 < of the entire force in action ; 
the loss of prisoners, he states, will fall short 
of 2,800 officers and men. 

The loss of the brigade compared with the loss 
of the army is as follows : Officers killed in the 
army, 92 ; in the brigade, 5 ; =5.4 .'^ of army loss. 
Officers wounded in the army, 384 ; in the bri- 
gade, 21;= 5.4 fo of army loss. Enlisted men killed 
in the army, 1,441; in the brigade, 89 ; =6.1 f«' of 
army loss. Enlisted men wounded in the army, 
6,861; in the brigade, 468 ; =6.8 ^0 of army loss. 
Captured and missing in the army, 2,800 ; in the 
brigade, 47 ; =1.6 fc of army loss. 

The loss of the army in killed and w^ounded was 
about 20 / of the force in action ; the loss of the 
brigade in killed and w^ounded was 37 fc of its 
strength in action. 

The effective force of the army in the battle 
was, all told, 43,400 officers and men ; the effec- 
tive force of the brigade taken into action was, all 
told, 1,566 officers and men, or 3.6 f« of the 
strength of the army ; whik; the loss of killed and 
wounded of the brigade is 6.6 /' of that of the army. 

The loss of killed and wounded in Scribner's 
Brigade was reported as 208 officers and men, or 



The Regular Brigade. 2 i 

about 2.3 ci of army loss ; in John Bcatty's Brigade 
as 281 officers and enlisted men, or about 3.2 ;7; of 
army loss ; while the three brigades were virtually 
the same in streno;th of effective force. 

Only two brigades in the whole army report a 
larger loss of killed and wounded than the Re^ju- 
lar Brigade ; both were about 200 men stronger 
than that brigade, and suffered losses before and 
after the 31st December, while the loss of the 
Regulars was all on that day ; the brigades were 
Carlin's, of the right wing, loss 627 — but lost on 
the 30th 175 men, and a few more after the 31st; 
Grose's, of the left wing, 585 — but lost before the 
31st 10 men, and on the •2d of January, the bri- 
gade report states, met with a severe loss, not as 
large as on the 31st, however. 

These figures tell the tale, and it is doubtful if 
in any other engagement of the war any organi- 
zation under similar circumstances suffered as large 
a loss. 

The total number of men received by the gen- 
eral Government in its armies during the war, for 
various periods, was 2,859,132 ; these, reduced to 
a three years' standard, would make 2,320,272 
men. 

The average effective number of each 1,000 
men in service has been computed at 693 men ; 
this, applied to the number of men of the three 
years' standard, would, in round numbers, give an 
effective force of 1,608.000 men. 



22 The Rcgtdai' Brigade. 

The total losses of the war, as near as it can be 
done with incomplete returns, has been computed 
to be : Killed in action, 44,238, or about 1.9 'fo of 
the effective force ; wounded in action, 280,000, 
or about 1 2 'Jo of the effective force ; while the 
Reeular Brigade lost on the ';ist of December 
alone : Killed in action, 94, or 6 ;« of its effective 
strength ; wounded in action, 4S9, or 31 r« of its 
effective strength. Of course, the above com- 
putations can be applied only in a general way, 
inasmuch as after 1861 the actual number of men 
in the United States service, on an average, was, 
in round numbers, only about 850,000 per year. 

In his report of the battle, General Geo. H. 
Thomas says: "In the execution of this last 
movement, the Re^rular Brioade came under a 
most murderous fire ''' ''' *'' but with the co- 
operation of Scribner's and Beatty's Brigades and 
Guenther's and Loomis' Batteries, gallantly held 
its ofround aofainst overwhelminof odds." 

General Rousseau, in his report, speaks of the 
brigade as follows: " On that body of brave men 
the shock of battle fell heaviest, and its loss was 
most severe. Over one-third of the command 
fell, killed or wounded. But it stood up to the 
work and bravely breasted the storm, and, though 
Major King, commanding the I5tli, and Major 
Slemmer (old Pickens), of the i6th, fell severely 
wounded, and Major Carpenter, commanding the 
19th, fell dead in the last cliarge, together with 



The Regular Brigade. 23 

many officers and men, the brigade did not falter 
for a moment. These three battalions were a 
part of my old 4th Brigade at the battle of Shi- 
loh. The 1 8th Infantry, Majors Townsend and 
Caldwell commanding, were new troops to me, 
but I am proud now to say we know each other. 
-::- -X- % -pj^g brigade was admirably and gallantly 
handled by Lieut.-Col. Shepherd. " ^ " Of the 
batteries of Guenther and ""' " '^ I cannot say too 
much. ■"* '"'■■ ■'•" Without them we could not have 
held our position in the centre." 

Surgeon Eben Swift, Medical Director, De- 
partment of the Cumberland, reports : " Much of 
the heaviest loss sustained to-day fell upon our 
Regular Battalions, brigaded under command of 
Lieutenant- Colonel O. L. Shepherd, in holding 
the cedar brake on the rio-ht of the centre ao^ainst 
the columns of the enemy sweeping down upon 
them after havinof forced back our entire ricjht 
wing." 

W. D. Bickham, who was on the field himself, 
in his book, " Rosecrans' Campaign with the 
Army of the Cumberland," published in March, 
1863, makes the following record: "The Regu- 
lar Brigade, Lieut.-Col. Shepherd at the head of 
the column, moved steadily into the thickets, and 
formed with Colonel John Beatty's Brigade on 
the left, and Scribner's in close support. Directly 
a dropping fire, like the big drops which precede 
a storm, indicated the proximity of the enemy. 



24 The Regular Brigade. 

■:> -::- ■;:- p^|- j-j^g enemy pushed hard. The gal- 
lant regulars resisted with the staunchness of 
their professional esprit, and refused to yield an 
inch. * * * The file firing- of the regulars at 
this point was fearfully destructive." 

" Pont Mercy," a correspondent of the New 
York Tribune^ wrote from the battle-field : 
" There is a record, however, which shall be more 
amply made, when the Biography of the gallant 
Regular Brigade is ready for history. " " "' 
Almost one-half the casualties were regulars, 
while they numbered less than one-fourth of the 
entire division. The missing indicates discipline 
and skill of officers with unmistakable emphasis. 
It was so in the sanguinary battle of Gaines' 
Mills on the Peninsula." 

The Reofular Brioade of the West had indeed 
sent Qfreetinof to their comrades in the East. 

As already stated, the dead of the brigade were 
buried in front of the position held by it nearly 
throughout the battle ; the intention was to erect 
a monument over their remains, and officers and 
men subscribing liberally, a large sum was collected 
— about $4,000. The dead heroes rest now at 
the same point in the National Cemetery, estab- 
lished by the General Government ; and on the 
1 2th of May, 1883, a monument made by the 
sculptor, Launt Thompson, was erected over their 
resting-place. 

The foregoing is not a fancy painted history 



The Regular Brigade. 25 

of the brigade in this battle ; it is not em- 
belHshed with rhetorical allusions to fire and 
smoke, shot and shell, grape and canister, the 
roar of the cannon, the rattling of the musketry, 
the groans of the dying and wounded ; it is a 
simple and plain statement of facts in unembcl- 
lished terms ; although the groans of the wounded 
and dying, the rattling of the musketry, the roar 
of the cannon, grape and canister, shot and shell, 
and fire and smoke were constant accompani- 
ments of the shifting scenes of this bloody and 
destructive drama of the history of our country. 



ROSTER 

Of Commissioned Officers of the Regular 
Brigade, 

AT 

THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER, TENNESSEE. 



3- 5 



BRIGADE STAFF. 

Lieutenant-Colonel O. L. Shepherd, i8th Infantry, Com- 
manding Brigade. 5 

Captain N, C. Kinney, iSth Infantry, Quartermaster.^ 

1st Lieutenant Anson Mills, iSth Infantry, Commissary of 
Subsistence.' 

ist Lieutenant Robert Sutherland, iSth Infantry Act'g Assist. 
Adjut.-Gen'l.* 

I st Battalion, 15th U. S. Infantry. 

Major John H. King, Commanding Battalion. 3- 

ist Lieutenant F. D. Ogilby,'* Adjutant. 

Captain Jesse Fulmcr.** 

Captain W. W. Wise.' 

Captain J. Bowman Bell.' 

Captain Henry Keteltas.* 

Captain Joseph S. Yorke.^-^ 

ist Lieutenant Horace Jewett.' 

ist Lieutenant Charles Wickoff.' 

ist Lieutenant Sol. E. Woodward.* 

ist Lieutenant W. 13. Occlestone.^- "* 

ist Lieutenant R. P. King.* 

1st Lieutenant James Y. Semple.-* 

2d Lieutenant William Galloway.* 

2d Lieutenant Roman II. Gray.* 



or. 



The Regular Brigade. 27 

I St Battalion, i6th U. S. Infantry. 

I\IajorA. J. Slemmcr, Commanding. 3- * 

ist Lieutenant John Power, Adjutant-^-*^ 

Captain R. E. A. Crofton.' 

Captain R. P. Barry. 3- * 

Captain James Biddle.* 

Captain N. L. Dykeman.^* 

Captain J. C. King. 3- '^ 

1st Lieutenant A. W. Alleyn.* 

1st Lieutenant E. INIcConnell.* 

1st Lieutenant W. H. Bartholomew. 3- ■» 

ist Lieutenant \V. W. Arnold.'^ 

ist Lieutenant J. C. Rowland. 3- * 

ist Lieutenant R. E. Kellogg.^ 

2d Lieutenant S. E. St. Onge.^ 

2d Lieutenant W, J. Wedemeyer.' 

ist Battalion, i8th U. S. Infantry. 

Major J. N. Caldwell, Commanding.^ 

ist Lieutenant R. L. Morris, Adjutant.'* 

ist Lieutenant Dan'l W. Benham, Quartermaster.' 

Captain Henry Douglass.^- '' 

Captain William S. Thurston.* 

Captain David L. Wood. 3- ^ 

Captain Charles L. Kneass.' 

Captain Robert B. Hull. 3- * 

Captain William H. H. Taylor.* 

1st Lieutenant Joseph L. Proctor.* 

1st Lieutenant Thomas T. Brand. ^ 

1st Lieutenant Samuel I. Diclc* 

ist Lieutenant Joseph McConnell.- 

ist Lieutenant Gilbert S. Carpenter.^-' 

2d Lieutenant INIerrill N. Hutchinson.^ 

2d Lieutenant Ebenezer D. Harding.* 

2d Lieutenant John J. Adair.^- * 



28 TJic Rcoular Brio-ade. 



^ 



2d Battalion, iSlh U. S. Infantry. 

Major Frederick Townscnd, Commanding.* 

ist Lieutenant Frederick Pliisterer, Adjutant.*^ 

1st Lieutenant Wm. P. McClery, Quartermaster. 

Captain Henry R. Mizner.' 

Captain Charles E, Denison.- 

Captain Henry Belknap.*^ 

Captain Ai B. Thompson. 3- ^ 

Captain Wm. J. I'^etterman.'' 

Captain Henry Haymond.^- * 

Captain Ansel B. Denton.'^ 

ist Lieutenant Morgan L. Ogden-.^- * 

1st Lieutenant Herman G. Radcliff.* 

ist Lieutenant James Simons.- 

ist Lieutenant Henry B. Freeman.^ 

2d Lieutenant WilHam H. Bishee.' 

2d Lieutenant John F. Hitchcock.' 

2d Lieutenant Wilbur F. Arnold.-' 

ist Battalion, 19th U.S. Lnfantry. 

Majors. D. Carpenter, Commanding.' 

ist Lieutenant Howard E. Stansbury, Adjutant.* 

Captain James B. Mulligan.* 

1st Lieutenant A. H. Antlrcws.* 

ist Lieutenant Jacob D. Jones.* 

2d Lieutenant Joseph J. Waggoner.* 

2d Lieutenant Wm, R. Lowe.* 

2d Lieutenant Alfred Curtis.* 

2d Lieutenant Cha?. F. Miller. ■• 

2d Lieutenant Geo. W. Johnson.* 

2d Lieutenant Arthur B. Carpenter.* 

I3ATTKRY H, 5th U. S. ArTII.LKRY. 

ist Lieutenant F. L. Guenthcr, Commanding.^ 
2d Lieutenant Israel Ludlow.* 
2d Lieutenant J. A. Fcsscnden.' 



The Regular Brigade. 29 

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. 

Assistant Surgeon Webster Lindsley, Acting Brigade Sur- 
geon/ 
Acting Assistant Surgeon Patton.* 
Acting Assistant Surgeon Henderson.'^ 

NOTES. 

I killed in battle of Stone River; 2 died of wounds received at 

Stone River. 
3 wounded at Stone River ; 4 died in service since Stone 

River. 
5 retired ; 6 resigned, discharged, mustered out, and out of 

service. 
7 still in the U. S. Army, active list. 

BATTLES AND EiNGAGEMENTS 

PARTICIPATED IN BY 

THE REGULAR BRIGADE. 

Stone River or Murfreesboro', Tenn., Dec. 31, 1862 to Jan. 3, 

1863. 
Eagleville, Tennessee, March 2, 1863. 
Hover's Gap, Tennessee, June 26, 1863. 
Chicamauga, Ga., September 19 to 21, 1863.. 
Mission Ridge, Tenn., November 25, 1863. 
Buzzard Roost and Tunhill, Ga., Feb. 25 1027, 1864. 
Rocky Faced Ridge, Ga., May 5 to 9, 1864. 
Resaca, Ga., May 13 to 15, 1864. 
New Hope Church, Ga., May 28, June i and 4, 1S64. 
Kenesaw INIountain, Ga., June 22 and 30, 1864. 
Neal Dow Station, Ga., July 3 and 4, 1864. 
Peachtree Creek, Ga., July 20, 1864. 
Atlanta, Ga., July 27 and 31, and August, i864- 
Utoy Creek, Ga., Aug, 7, 1864. 
Jonesboro", Ga., September i, 1864. 



30 TJic Rcgidar Brigade. 

ENGAGEMENTS AND BATTLES PARTICIPATED IN 

B\*THE BATTALIONS BEFORE ORGANIZATION 

OF THE REGULAR BRIGADE. 

15th, i6lh and 19th U. S. INFANTRY. 

Shiloh, Tenn., April 7, 1S62. 
Corinth, IMiss., May, 1862. 

1st and 2d BATTALIONS, iSlh U. S. INFANTRY. 

Lick Creek, Miss., April 26, 1S62. 

Corinth, Miss., IMay, 1862. 

Springfield to Texas, Ky., October 6, 1862. 

Pcrryville or Chaplin Hill, Ky., Octobers, 1862. 



JZy\^ 



peumAlipe* 



